You would surmise from the name that “Weedy Acres” was up to its neck (if it had one) in weeds of all kinds right now. Since moving here in 1991, I've only had what I call the 4 stages of weed growth. The first was when we moved in and I got a good look at the enormous Russian thistle (Salsola tragus) or tumbleweeds that were merrily rolling around the backyard; prickly and not too user-friendly, they lasted only one growing season and with persistent hoeing were gone.
As we gardeners all know all too well, Mother Nature abhors a blank landscape and next up were the years ( and I mean years) of the Bristly Oxtongue (Picris echiodes) which I discovered caused dermatitis to my hands, arms, and wherever I contacted it. It did not help that I treated them like most weeds: pull them up, leave laying there until dry and then toss them in the green waste container – never do that! Those darn plants are members of the Aster/Sunflower family and CONTINUE to go from flower to seeds after death. So, there I was with a huge pile of these dead plants and picking them up and leaving piles of small seeds which, of course, grew into many more weeds than I started with! And no, I didn't make the connection between piles of weeds and more growth for a couple of years!
Next on the weed “parade” came the wild oats (Avena fatua) with their 6-FOOT-high heads bowing gracefully in the Suisun winds. Tall, fast-growing plants with the normal weak roots system as many of the grasses have. Pulling those up and finding the hidden (and wanted) plants was rather fun actually; it was rather like pulling root vegetables out of a garden with well-mulched soil – fast and easy. Only two seasons of that and then on to Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon) which suddenly reared its ugly stolons shortly after we returned from a three-week vacation. We had never “cultivated” yard weeds before, only the “feral” type from seeds blowing our way from the Suisun Marsh, so this was a first for me! It seems that our one neighbor had had a concrete patio put in when we were away; there was NO clearing of the area of weeds beforehand, so the Bermuda grass from his yard just continued to grow under the new patio, under the fence, and out into the side yard. Before long, there was a whole side yard of this grass which then went through the pipe tunnel ( for the irrigation pipes) under the sidewalk and throughout the planting bed next to the house. Almost five years later, I've got it pretty well knocked down, but it still rears up if I don't keep at it. As a matter of fact, it's coming under and through the fence right now. It's time to spray again with grass killer to keep it at bay.
The biggest weed problem is now the Field Bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis) which is trying to take of the “vacuum” space left by the weeds which I've been able to vanquish. Since the stems are deep in the soil, only by killing off the tops can I keep it at bay, but it still finds its way into various potted plants. Oh well, I need something to do during the pandemic!
Right now, I have approximately 125 Naked Ladies (Amaryllis belladonna) which I had potted up for various plant exchanges which didn't happen this past year and with the soil softened up by the rain, I'll be planting them along the fence line just to have some color along the back and side fences. There they can sit and grow and multiply until a later date. Hope to see you soon!